New York: Court Rejects Independence Chair MacKay’s Effort to Disenroll Fulani, Newman and 100+ Party Members

New York, NY—New York State Supreme Court Judge Emily Jane Goodman today dismissed a court action initiated by Independence Party state chair Frank MacKay to disenroll over 100 Independence Party members from Manhattan. Last week, Judge Joseph Levine dismissed a similar action in Brooklyn Supreme Court where 24 Independence members were also targeted for disenrollment.

In the decision, Judge Goodman stated that “no evidence has been submitted to this Court that Respondents did, in fact, violate the principles,” of the party. Goodman also affirmed that statements by Lenora Fulani and Fred Newman, which were cited in the disenrollment attempt, were not made in connection with any party activity, and had been made years prior to the founding of the party. She further stated that “While the Court is not going to speculate on the motive for bringing this Petition now …it appears to be more political than philosophical.”

"Judge Goodman’s decision is very thoughtful and fair. She suggests that Frank MacKay’s motives might have been political. Dr. Fulani and I believe that this was politically motivated through and through."

"MacKay and his upstate cronies tried to use—and abuse—state election law to effect a purge against the most loyal, most successful and most committed branch of the Independence Party. He did so at the direct public urging of Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton. The entire New York political establishment, from the media to the Mayor (whom we got elected twice), was prepared to give him a pass. Fortunately, the court called MacKay on the carpet and said the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the State of New York take precedence over the machinations of petty tyrants."

"The reason so many voters are becoming independents today is that they can’t stand the corruption of the political system. Today’s court decision means that the independent movement can be free of that kind of corruption."